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Southern Honor: Ethics and Behavior in the Old South
Explains the importance of the concept of honor in Southern society and examines family relationships, courtship, marriage, miscegenation, dueling, and slave insurrections
597 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 19, 2024
A long and rambling cultural history that feels also like a philosophical digression influenced by the brief rage for applying psychological ideas to history. As such, it feels like a creative act, not in the sense of fiction but in explaining complicated human ties and emotions. It is as if Faulkner decided to forgo prose for the call of Clio, and tellingly Faulkner is referenced many times in the text.
I found the work compelling and enlightening. Wyatt-Brown views the core of Southern society as patriarchal, with familial obligations trumping everything. Slavery, gambling, dueling, lynching, and marriage are seen through this interpretation. As such, it seems that to Wyatt-Brown, slavery is not the center of Antebellum Southern culture. It is debatable, but Wyatt-Brown shows there is another way to view Dixie. Indeed, the antebellum South comes across as being intimately connected in spirit to the old order of Europe, creating an interesting tension with its republicanism. Sadly, this theme is not explored in detail.
Wyatt-Brown rarely mentioned things that contradicted his thesis. There is no discussion of the Creoles of Louisiana, who conformed to much of what Wyatt-Brown argues, but were perhaps just different enough for him to be skittish about discussing them. It also means New Orleans, the South's largest city, barely gets mentioned.
This is really about honor among planters and gentry. The poor whites, Creoles, and mountaineers seem incidental. I do not mean they go unnoticed, and he is particularly good about distinguishing differences between regions within the South. In the end, I left the book knowing more and still thinking there were considerable holes in the thesis.
I found the work compelling and enlightening. Wyatt-Brown views the core of Southern society as patriarchal, with familial obligations trumping everything. Slavery, gambling, dueling, lynching, and marriage are seen through this interpretation. As such, it seems that to Wyatt-Brown, slavery is not the center of Antebellum Southern culture. It is debatable, but Wyatt-Brown shows there is another way to view Dixie. Indeed, the antebellum South comes across as being intimately connected in spirit to the old order of Europe, creating an interesting tension with its republicanism. Sadly, this theme is not explored in detail.
Wyatt-Brown rarely mentioned things that contradicted his thesis. There is no discussion of the Creoles of Louisiana, who conformed to much of what Wyatt-Brown argues, but were perhaps just different enough for him to be skittish about discussing them. It also means New Orleans, the South's largest city, barely gets mentioned.
This is really about honor among planters and gentry. The poor whites, Creoles, and mountaineers seem incidental. I do not mean they go unnoticed, and he is particularly good about distinguishing differences between regions within the South. In the end, I left the book knowing more and still thinking there were considerable holes in the thesis.
February 1, 2013
I had to read this book for a college Southern U.S. History class. I purchased it four weeks before the semester and started reading it, even though I didn't have to and soon found I had difficulty putting it down. The first bit is a little slow and pedantic, but it quickly gets "better".
Being from the south, I always had a highly romanticized and naive view of the culture in which I grew up. This book gave my impressions and knowledge solid ground and helped me to draw more educated conclusions about our history as a region and the whole nation in general. As another reviewer mentioned, I was fascinated by the complexities of the society. It was really interesting also to be able to put my own ancestors' experiences into context.
It's not the easiest read ever, but it is totally worth it. I love the abundance of stories and examples illustrating his points and his variety of sources.
Being from the south, I always had a highly romanticized and naive view of the culture in which I grew up. This book gave my impressions and knowledge solid ground and helped me to draw more educated conclusions about our history as a region and the whole nation in general. As another reviewer mentioned, I was fascinated by the complexities of the society. It was really interesting also to be able to put my own ancestors' experiences into context.
It's not the easiest read ever, but it is totally worth it. I love the abundance of stories and examples illustrating his points and his variety of sources.
April 11, 2009
I absolutely love this book though I have not gotten very far. I saw it one day last year in Barnes and Noble on the employee picks shelf. I was shocked when I went back to buy it, and the salesperson, a college age young woman, exclaimed, "Oh, that was my pick!! I loved that book. I was using it for research on a paper, and I was so enthralled I read the whole thing. It was intriguing". This coming from a non-Southerner, I knew I had to read it.
It is a scholarly endeavor that has been recently revised and republished; originally published in the 70's. The author explores the role of honor in the old South, and its lineage from more ancient and agrarian cultures ("Likewise, for many Southern gentlemen of the antebellum South, the philosophy of the Emperor's Meditations was nearly equal to the Bible as a source of moral wisdom"). What I like is that he is not glorifying or approaching the value of honor naively. He is certainly illuminating the shadow side of honor, and the results of strict adherence to honor at any cost. He even purports that the Civil War was fought based on this value. He does not deny that slavery was inextricably linked to the role honor played in the South's going to war.
I have always felt proud of my Southern heritage, and often misunderstood. Living outside of the South, one is often queried about racism, ingorance, etc., and the projections of stereotypes seem to fly. To me this book speaks to the complexity of the South; it is helping me to understand the complexities of my native culture, and in turn within myself. It conjures up fond memories and feelings in regard to the values of duty, honor, family, etc.
Wyatt-Brown notes with a tinge of sadness the disappearance of honor within our modern culture. He points out that the only place the value of honor is still alive and well is in our military culture (again, not denying its shadow). This was a bit of an "aha" moment for me, helping to explain my draw to military culture, and working with soldiers and veterans.
I am curious about what the word honor evokes for others. For me it is a complex and deep value; one that strikes a cord in my heart. I love that this book is helping me to explore both the external and internal meaning of honor.
It is a scholarly endeavor that has been recently revised and republished; originally published in the 70's. The author explores the role of honor in the old South, and its lineage from more ancient and agrarian cultures ("Likewise, for many Southern gentlemen of the antebellum South, the philosophy of the Emperor's Meditations was nearly equal to the Bible as a source of moral wisdom"). What I like is that he is not glorifying or approaching the value of honor naively. He is certainly illuminating the shadow side of honor, and the results of strict adherence to honor at any cost. He even purports that the Civil War was fought based on this value. He does not deny that slavery was inextricably linked to the role honor played in the South's going to war.
I have always felt proud of my Southern heritage, and often misunderstood. Living outside of the South, one is often queried about racism, ingorance, etc., and the projections of stereotypes seem to fly. To me this book speaks to the complexity of the South; it is helping me to understand the complexities of my native culture, and in turn within myself. It conjures up fond memories and feelings in regard to the values of duty, honor, family, etc.
Wyatt-Brown notes with a tinge of sadness the disappearance of honor within our modern culture. He points out that the only place the value of honor is still alive and well is in our military culture (again, not denying its shadow). This was a bit of an "aha" moment for me, helping to explain my draw to military culture, and working with soldiers and veterans.
I am curious about what the word honor evokes for others. For me it is a complex and deep value; one that strikes a cord in my heart. I love that this book is helping me to explore both the external and internal meaning of honor.
October 29, 2025
When Americans think of honor culture and honor killings, they seldom conjure the image of another aculturated American. The idea that we are driven to violence to uphold honor is too disturbing.
Yet a culture of honor contributed to the secession of the South and the American Civil War. An upholding of a concept of "honor" and status was core to the white identity in the antebellum South and governed how men, women, masters, and the enslaved interacted. Wyatt-Brown shows how this honor culture influenced behavior then, and touches upon how it continues to exert a force on modern Southern behavior. Dr. Wyatt-Brown, a historian with a focus on the American South, draws upon history, Southern literature, and social science to show how concepts of masculinity, courage, and reputation governed behavior in a slaveholding society.
This is the second book I've read by Dr. Wyatt-Brown, but it should have been the first. In A Warring Nation, the companion book to Southern Honor, expands upon it. A Warring Nation expands Wyatt-Brown’s analysis beyond the South to encompass the entire United States and its interactions with the broader world. It examines how the ideas of honor and humiliation influenced American attitudes toward war, race, and identity from the Revolution through the 20th century.
Yet a culture of honor contributed to the secession of the South and the American Civil War. An upholding of a concept of "honor" and status was core to the white identity in the antebellum South and governed how men, women, masters, and the enslaved interacted. Wyatt-Brown shows how this honor culture influenced behavior then, and touches upon how it continues to exert a force on modern Southern behavior. Dr. Wyatt-Brown, a historian with a focus on the American South, draws upon history, Southern literature, and social science to show how concepts of masculinity, courage, and reputation governed behavior in a slaveholding society.
This is the second book I've read by Dr. Wyatt-Brown, but it should have been the first. In A Warring Nation, the companion book to Southern Honor, expands upon it. A Warring Nation expands Wyatt-Brown’s analysis beyond the South to encompass the entire United States and its interactions with the broader world. It examines how the ideas of honor and humiliation influenced American attitudes toward war, race, and identity from the Revolution through the 20th century.
October 19, 2018
Bertram Wyatt-Brown’s heart is in the right place. He abhors white supremacy. It is ironic, then, that his identification of white honor as the major cause of Southern secession reinforces a somewhat romantic view of the Confederacy and Old South. Wyatt-Brown is right to connect warped white honor to racism, but I think racism weighs more than honor in the historical balance. That’s my two cents. Lots to learn here about white Southern culture, though.
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July 22, 2025I'm not at home
March 1, 2017
I will not be finishing this one. Felt heavy and overworded. Fortunately the author has a shorter volume: Honor and Violence in Civil War South, which I am reading and enjoying.
March 25, 2009
W.J. Cash's The Mind of the South explains the outlook of Southerners on their past and their society, but Wyatt-Brown adds a layer of detail that is entertaining (in the same way a car wreck can be, that is). Antebellum Southerners developed a sense of honor that was easily offended and demanded satisfaction. Reading this book illustrates why Southerners resorted to duels so many times; certain insults could be redressed no other way. A useful book for understanding Southern customs and rules of society, it can be read either as a companion piece to The Mind of the South or on its own and be satisfying either way.
February 6, 2016
It seems to be a well researched book and the author no doubt has great credentials. I would like to think that I have a rather balanced view of Southern history, with a slight lean towards the view that it was shaped by Christianity generally and Calvinism in particular. Even so, between slavery and depravity of man, I know it was far from an utopia. Even so, I believe that Wyatt-Brown picks the anecdotes and historical tidbits that support his presuppositions, a bit of confirmation bias. Very little mention is given to the faith of many southerners while more is given examining possible Marxists perspectives. Helpful book for a particular perspective, but not for a balanced one.
November 14, 2016
This book is a deep dive intellectual exploration of the subject. It can read very slowly and is not for those wanting a quick, pithy, or glib review. But it does explain many facets of both historical and contemporary mores. And because the author occasionally needs a contrast to explain the inner workings of Southern Honor, it occasionally helps to understand Yankee mores as well.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews